Arsenal Vs Spurs, A reality Check, But For Who?

The battle lines are drawn as Arsenal host Tottenham at the Emirates for the first of three North London Derbies this season, and apart from bragging rights the stakes are much higher as a win will not only be crucial in the quest for top-four but will also help not to cede further ground on the early Premier League log leaders.

Following three back-to-back PL draws the Gunners got back to winning ways against a spirited Bournemouth side, and although not vintage we did create the lion’s share of scoring chances. So play as we did then with better composure in front of goal and we will have joy.

Easier said than done though as this is a much tougher assignment. Spurs got their tails up with a run of six wins in all competitions in which they conceded just 5 goals and scored 13.

No-one really expect them to be troubling the trophy engravers anytime soon, but there was quite a celebration when they ended Chelsea’s unbeaten run last Sunday in a match their attackers danced around the Blues side with incredibly light feet. So we’ll need to show a much more committed performance than ‘Sarri-ball’ to nip in the bud any ideas our visitors may have that today will be another quick-step.

The last time we played one of the big ones second-placed Liverpool gave us quite a stern test, but we fought our way back from a goal down to earn a creditable draw. So whatever happens, today will provide a measure of just what the red half of North London can do in the league this campaign.

Then there is the matter of one Michael Dean. While he was the man in the middle in this fixture last season, a match we won with relative ease, it is worth mentioning he did admit to giving a phantom penalty to West Brom against us a few weeks later. So with a Spurs side who deliberately use tactics to con refs into them penalties the Gunners will need to remain organised and keep their wits about them if Mike is going to look like he wants to steal the show.

Gunner-in-chief Unai Emery’s first NLD and I’m sure he know it will be emotionally charged, so it will be a surprise to see him sacrificing an attacking player to keep with the three at the back he used in our last PL outing against attack minded opponents. While the system suits both Hector Bellerín and Sead Kolasinac’s attacking abilities, the three central defenders will need to be at their best vs a team that offers more of an attacking threat. If a return to a back four is favoured, the coach will have a tough decision whom to leave out of three, while still facing the same challenges Spurs pose. Sort of headache one imagine Pochettino himself to have to keep our attackers at bay.

We can expect these teams to have a good go at against each others to give us a very closely fought, equally entertaining and tense match up… and we can bet the Emirates faithful will not disappoint by providing the appropriate atmosphere.

I’m so glad we beat those dirty, diving cheating bastards. Probably because he played on Thursday, but I was surprised Ramsey didn’t start – he (and Lacazette) certainly made a huge difference to our second half performance. I know I say it frequently, but I really cannot believe the new regime at Arsenal think he is so easily replaceable!

I just need to have a little rant about the idiot next to me who spent the whole game ranting at our players and implying that we only won because spurs were shit, then had the nerve to say a Wenger team would not have won that – I reminded him about us previously being 2 nil down and going on to win 5 -2, but that didn’t fit his narrative. Why can’t people just draw a line under the past, be glad the new guy is doing well and drop the revision of our history?

passenal the clown beside during the game is typical of those that haven’t a clue what they are watching, so cling on to simple soundbites, (has to be simple for a very good reason), its that sort who actually think Xhaka is a DM, or that “most assists in the BPL this season, Ramsey, is not a team player, no he is Hollywood Ramsey”, why no matter how good Mustafi plays he is shit, why Kolasinac “was a bosman” etc etc etc. Just cos they have been watching the game all their lives, makes them think they know a lot about the game, when simply put, they barely know what day of the week it is.

There is so much I want to say about today and everything but please forgive me as I got over excited as the afternoon wore on and if the truth be known I had a couple of glasses of very excellent Cotes du Rhone when Aaron came on and made the difference.

That photo of Papa with kane on his ass is great, sums up the day well. Papastathopoulos must be a bastard to play against, very happy he’s ours! Same goes with Mighty Mouse Torreira, I would like to believe AW had his eye on him….

so from 2021 there will be EL2, with 32 teams in it, meaning one extra BPL team going into it, it will be played on a Thursday just like the EL but will have some 3.30pm kickoffs, after the group stages, the third placed teams in the EL will drop down into the knock out stages of it, just like the 3rd placed CL teams drop into the EL.
The winner of EL2 will get a place in the EL the following season.